Kumasi Fort and Military Museum

Located within Uaddara Barracks in Kumasi, the Kumasi Fort and Military Museum also known locally as the Ghana Armed Forces Museum, is one of the few dedicated military museums in Africa. The fort was originally built in 1820 by Asantehene Osei Tutu Kwamina to resemble European coastal forts. It was later destroyed by British forces in 1874 and rebuilt in 1897 using granite and soil transported from Cape Coast. The fort is closely linked to the 1900 Yaa Asantewaa War, when the Queen Mother of Ejisu led a resistance against British rule to defend the sacred Golden Stool. After the conflict, Yaa Asantewaa was imprisoned in the fort before being exiled to the Seychelles, where she later died. This history gives the site deep national and cultural significance. Since becoming a museum in 1953, the fort has preserved Ghana’s military story through displays of weapons, medals, vehicles, photographs, and historical records that trace the Gold Coast Regiment and the development of the Ghana Armed Forces. A nearby British military cemetery adds further context to the area’s colonial and military past. Situated within an active military zone, the museum offers a rare blend of living surroundings and preserved history. The museum is open daily but closed on Sundays and public holidays, and it provides visitors with a detailed look into Ghana’s military heritage and the events that shaped the nation.